Size and Frequency Dependent Heating Rates of Gold Nanoparticles Exposed to Radiofrequency Electric Field

Gold nanoparticles can be used as efficient nanotransducers of RF electromagnetic energy into heat, rendering them as excellent candidates for noninvasive hyperthermia treatment of cancer with minimal side effects. Here we report on experimental heating profiles of gold nanoparticles of various sizes (5 nm, 10 nm, 20 nm, and 30 nm) exposed to a capacitively coupled RF field at various frequencies (6.5 MHz, 8.2 MHz, 10 MHz, 13.56 MHz, 15 MHz, and 17 MHz). We find that the heating rates depend on the size of the gold nanoparticles and the frequency of RF irradiation. We use the energy balance equations to numerically simulate the heating profiles of the gold colloidal solutions.